The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-19

Farmers should remember that head
work saves great deal of hand work,
md if systematically performed relieves
the routine of life of some of its dull
ness.
Fall planting of trees has strong ad-
vocatcs among experienced tree planters,
and where planter has given that fair
trial his favorable testimony, as rule, is
secured.
One thing dairymen in this country
generally neglect: that is to curry their
cows as we'll as feed them. Cows we'll
cared for will pay the interest on mort
gage, and attack the principal bravely.
MIR. Sampson says it is good idea to
plant gooseberries among the rows of
currants. The currant worm will always
prefer the goosoberry, and the latter
bushes alone need be treated to bellebore.
Peach trees that have made good
growth since spring need no other fertil.
izer than wood ashes. Wood ashes are
also good for healing pear tree which
bears spotted or cracked fruit. Sprinkle
the ground we'll beneath the tree so fal
rs the branches extend.
TT Chicago Times remarks that "ths
general employment of machinery on
farms has exerted an unfavorable inhu.
ence on small fruit culture, landscape,
vegetable and farm gardening" Mixed
farming and horticultural pursuits are
certainly more in. the line of "small''
than "large" farming.
If milch COWS be fed upon dry hay it
cannot be expected of them to give full
supplies of milk, for without succulent
food the udder cannot, except upon
limited scale, carry on its milk secreting
operations. In view of these facts every
farmer should make it part of his busi.
ness to raise a sufficient quantity of
beets, carrots and parsnips to give each
milch-cow on his farm half-a-bushel daily
during the winter and early spring.
No vegetable has been more improved
than the common tomato. Forty or
more years ago they were seedy, watery
and of little value. For time the chief
attempt to improve them was in securing
extra early varieties. Now frmness of
flesh and comparative freedom from seeds
are bred for. Some of the best varieties
have so much substance in their flesh
that they make excellent preserves. For
canning they are also much better than
the thin, watery sorts.
The plum loves rich, moist soil. It is
to their effect in fertilizing the soil about
the trees, rather than to any destruction
of the curculio, that fowls are placed IN
plum orchards. But though hens DO
not eat the curculio, their presence
around and under the trees makes this
shy insect more cautious about deposit
ing her eggs. Paving the soil under
plum trees answers the same purpose.
Many plum trees in cities have pavements
close to their roots, and they are pretty
sure to bear good crops every year.
For so small a weed there is scarcely
a greater pest than common plantain.
1t seeds profusely under the most dis
couraging circumstances, and only two
or three years. course with hoed crops
can be relied upon to get rid of it; even
then some seeds will start up every time
the field is seeded with grass. If not too
numerous cut them out with the hoe.
If too abundant for that then plow again
and try one or two years more with
hoed crops. Then seed heavily with
clover, and be very careful that there is
no plantain mixed with the seed.
The first effect of liberal feeding. at
this season is to increase or at least
maintain the milk flow. We do not
wish to have the cows fatten so long as
they are giving milk, for the latter is
more profitable. When cow on IN
changed feed begins to dry off she also
begins to fatten. Putting on flesh is all
right if not ovcrdone nor commenced too
early. A few weeks, or perhaps two or
three months, if milk is not especially
valuable, may be given to bring the cow
into condition before she drops her calf
to be valuable the following season.